The Serpent's Pass
by Flobear777
Summary: A oneshot about my otp-Smellerbee and Longshot! About what happened after Iroh mistakes Smellerbee for a girl. Please read!


Hey! So... A smellershot one-shot haha. Anyone else notice that in the Serpent's Pass episode of Avatar, after Iroh mistakes Smellerbee for a boy, and Longshot comforts her, that they NEVER COME BACK TO THE GROUP THAT NIGHT? Well, I did, and I wrote a fic about what happened :D

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"I know. You're right. As long as I'm confident about who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think. Thanks, Longshot," I unclench my fists, forcing a smile to reassure Longshot. But that doesn't mean that I'm ready to go back and sit with the old man again. I turn and head into the shadows of the ship, walking until I am standing out in the open on the other side. I don't have to turn to feel Longshot follow me, but I sigh. "Look, Longshot, I just want to be quiet right now, and—" I stop as I turn and see the look on my best friend's face. "Yeah. Well. I suppose you are the right person to be quiet with." I turn back to face the ocean. I have always wanted to see the ocean, and now I'm going with my best friend and my leader! Of course, coming with Jet meant splitting up the gang, and I'm not really sure that Jet has actually let go of his past, but I'm still excited to try and start over. I wrap my arms around myself, feeling the embarrassment of the moments before wash over me once again. What a nightmare. Sometimes I think I should just let people go on thinking I'm a boy. It would make life so much easier.

No matter how often it has happened, I still feel hurt when someone makes a comment about how I look. I mean, I know I shouldn't. It's not like I really _look_ like a girl or anything. I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the weak thoughts I'm experiencing…again. I lean on the deck rail, enjoying the rocking of the ship. I can feel the comforting presence of Longshot beside me, and I smile at the thought of a new life with him. And Jet. All of us. I lean over to put my face in my arms, until I feel Longshot's gaze burning into my face. I look up.

_I know. I miss them too_. I nod at his confession, feeling a pang at our shared emptiness of being without the gang. But we had followed Jet, just as we would follow him everywhere, being the most loyal of his followers.

I look out onto the bay again, reflecting on the fact that Longshot is every bit as good at reading me as I am at reading him. "You know, as much as I miss the fighters, I'm really excited about Ba Sing Se. I think it could be the start of something good for us." I can feel his stare still, but it is different this time. He isn't staring at me with a burning thought or question. He's just… looking at me. I feel a warmth in my stomach, knowing that while I had followed Jet, it was just possible that Longshot was following something else. Oh, he was every bit as dedicated to the cause, but he had been very reluctant to follow Jet to the Earth Kingdom city… until I had volunteered. I could still remember the look on his face when I had agreed to go. His nose had scrunched up, and his ears had turned pink, and he had promptly decided that his path lay in the great walls. I snorted, and could feel Longshot's gaze turn questioning again. "Oh, nothing," I said, "I'm just remembering something." I smiled at the thought, but still didn't turn to face him. Suddenly his hand was on my shoulder, and he spun me to face him. "Hey, what's the big deal—" I stopped as his gaze met mine, and knew that in that instant he could tell what I had been thinking.

He raised an eyebrow. _You sure you aren't just imagining things, Bee?_ His face said. I could feel a blush creep up my neck, but shook my head.

"No, I clearly remember you blushing. And I'm pretty sure you didn't agree to come on this trip until I did. So… what does that say?"

_Well, first, I wasn't blushing._ He held up a finger, his eyes narrowed and serious under his hat. _And second, I couldn't have joined because I'm your _best friend_ or anything, could I?_ I was always amazed at the amount of sarcasm he could put into a facial expression.

"Nah, I think you were definitely blushing. I'll give you the best friend thing though." I turned away from him again, staring at the moon. A silence extended between us, until it was almost awkward. Which never, _ever_ happened between us. I was just about to change the subject when Longshot suddenly reached over and grabbed both of my arms. He turned us so that my back was pressed against the rail and he was pressed against me. It was the boldest thing he'd ever done.

_Well, I might as well make your story believable._ His eyes were more intense than I'd ever seen them, and I could feel my heart speed up.

"L-Longshot?" I stammered, "What are you—mmpf!" he crushed his lips to mine, wrapping his arms around my waist. I stood shocked for a moment, before instinct took over and I draped my own arms around his neck, tilting his hat back so I would have better access to his face. Our bodies melded together, and I could feel that familiar warmth in my stomach spread to the rest of my body in a flush. My eyes had closed by themselves, and I knew that he had done the same. We were the only two people in the world in that moment. I could feel the pain of the last few months in that kiss, along with the friendship of the past few years, and I knew suddenly that this kiss had been building up for a long, long time. We broke the kiss slowly, still wrapped in each other's arms. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, feeling his forehead press against mine gently. When I opened my eyes, I was lost in the depths of his gaze again, but this time his look was filled with gentleness, and joy, and… love? He smiled lightly, still pressed close to me.

"Oh Bee," he said out loud, "you are so very beautiful."


End file.
